Getty Darius Kilgo
The New England Patriots shored up their interior defensive line by bringing back a familiar face on Monday. The team signed veteran free-agent NT Darius Kilgo.
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Where Was Kilgo in 2019?
Kilgo was a member of the Detroit Lions roster in 2019, where he played for former Patriots defensive coordinator, and now head coach in Motown, Matt Patricia. Kilgo missed all of the 2019 season. He was placed on injured reserve in August 2019 as he battled a quadriceps injury.
The Lions cut Kilgo in March, and he has been unable to show teams he was healthy largely due to the restrictions COVID-19 placed on physicals and workouts. The Patriots had him, Jordan Legget, Lamar Miller, and Tyle Gauthier in this week and are reportedly signing them all to the roster.
Kilgo Was Once a Member of the Patriots’ Roster
Kilgo was once on the Patriots practice squad. In fact, he’s the only player in team history to have a guaranteed salary with a PS designation. He has bounced around quite a bit in his career. He was signed to a four-year contract by the Denver Broncos in 2015 only to be waived in November 2016. The Patriots claimed him off waivers three days after his release before waiving him after a week.
The Patriots re-signed him and sent Kilgo to practice squad December 2016. They inked him again in February 2017 before cutting him again in September 2017. He would go through the back-and-forth one more time with the Patriots before moving on and signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and then the Lions. In his career, he has appeared in 29 games over three seasons. Along the way, Kilgo earned some jewelry during his time with the Broncos and Patriots.
Where Does Kilgo Fit With the Patriots in 2020?
This is an addition for depth, which is one of the most important things to every NFL roster heading into uncharted territory. No one knows exactly what to expect from the 2020 NFL season. There will obviously be injuries as is the case in every season, but who knows if COVID-19 will again rip away portions of the depth chart. The Patriots have already lost eight players to opt-outs. There could be more in the coming days and weeks. Having a scheme-fit NT like Kilgo to go to as a backup for Beau Allen and Adam Butler up front could be huge during the season.